is a 'better' guitar better?

mumto2loves

Hi my 8 yr old daughter is in her 2nd year of guitar lessons at school and (apparently) shes quite good at it When she started we bought her a 2nd hand pink guitar (which we after found out) came from argos.

Now i'm pretty sure she going to stick with it, at least for her time at this school, she's loving that she can play recognisable songs and remember them well enough to play on demand iykwim.

So my question is should we really get her a 'proper' guitar or really does a pink one from argos do as good a job as any?

tia for any opinions.

ModestyB

Hi, I think you ought to let her carry on playing her pink guitar for now. Proper guitars are quite heavy and IMO I don't think they would be suitable for an 8 year old. I do speak from experience, DH has at least 10 guitars cluttering up the house and he keeps making more! lol!
Just realised, is her guitar acoustic or electric? Either way they might be too big for her. HTH.:)

mumto2loves

hi

thanks, it accoustic and its 3/4 size. She'd still need a 3/4 if i bought a new one.

snowqueen555

Are the strings all steel, or are there three nylon ones?

Getting a better quality guitar certianly makes learning easier as the cheaper ones are not made as well especially with regards to playability, but most people start out on a cheap guitar. I started out on a nylon guitar from argos, it might do for now but as she gets better she will definitely benefit from a better one.

BritRael

If she has stuck with it for two years, then it will certainly be ok to continue. Congratualtions to her for hanging in there!

One question though: how many times have you changed the strings in that time? If they are nylon, then it's not so important. However, if they are steel, they should be changed now if you haven't before. I'd recommend a light gauge (10 gauge) which will give 3 wound and 3 unwound strings which will be much easier on the finger tips.

Another tip is to use a capo up around 2 or 3 frets. This will help keep the guitar in tune (which is a problem on cheaper guitars), and also make it easier to fret chords. Which again, is easier on the finger tips.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

ModestyB wrote: »

Hi, I think you ought to let her carry on playing her pink guitar for now. Proper guitars are quite heavy and IMO I don't think they would be suitable for an 8 year old. I do speak from experience, DH has at least 10 guitars cluttering up the house and he keeps making more! lol!
Just realised, is her guitar acoustic or electric? Either way they might be too big for her. HTH.:)

That sounds like the least objectionable thing he could be cluttering the house up with, to me!

I'd agree with staying with the pink one (until she is about 11, as by then, her reach will have increased dramatically and her calluses will probably have built up enough to manage all steel strings - when an electro acoustic might be a fantastic birthday present) - with the proviso that it's not an annoying guitar.

By annoying, I mean one that loses its tune within 5 seconds of putting it down, that never actually sounds quite right and has a slightly uncomfortable action on it.

By senior school, a pink guitar, with or without a heart shaped soundhole, might not be such a popular choice.


It doesn't hurt to keep your eyes open for a nice one second hand in the meantime, though. These things do have a habit of multiplying in the house

tescobabe69

Keep your eye (or set up an alert) on ebay.
My son is 18 and started with a second hand one, he now has about six, but the old workhorse from ebay is still going strong.

spratley

Have a word with the guitar teacher - if they think her guitar is OK for now, then stick with it. In a couple of years, if not sooner, she will be wanting a full size guitar, so it would be best to save up for that & get a really good one.

Wookey

In answer to your question then yes, a better guitar is far superior but will cost more, nothing can be more off putting for someone learning than a poorly made guitar. If its an acoustic and she is wanting to continue at it then perhaps look at yamaha guitars around the £150+ range, these are well made, durable and playable and have a decent sound.

artha

Difficult to say but there will come a point when a cheap pink guitar from Argos will become limiting to development and may even stunt interest. They are after all really designed as a toy. Every player of an instrument gets a subconcious feedback from the instrument they play. If you are not getting out as much as you are putting in and it starts to become hard work then that can stifle progress.
As someone who started late (mid teens) on a reasonable guitar and made steady progress I was amazed at what I could do and how good the sound was when I got the chance to play a good quality guitar

googler

There WILL come a point where a Pink Guitar will be a subject of ridicule at school..... and that may inhibit her progress